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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26942686">Lemur? Please, I’m The Dark One</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingInTheMeadow/pseuds/SleepingInTheMeadow'>SleepingInTheMeadow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Once Upon a Time (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dark Emma Swan, F/F, Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), The Dark One (Once Upon a Time)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:15:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26942686</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingInTheMeadow/pseuds/SleepingInTheMeadow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby struggles to help Emma after she becomes the Dark One, as Emma tries to push her away. Season 5 RedSwan “Universe Alteration”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evil Queen | Regina Mills &amp; Emma Swan, Henry Mills &amp; Emma Swan, Red Riding Hood | Ruby/Emma Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You Don’t Need to Travel to Find Trouble</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Emma</span>
</p>
<p>I left the diner in a cloud of smoke, and when the white mist was disappearing from around my body, I was ready to wreak havoc among the horrible people of Storybrooke.</p>
<p>But all that could wait until tomorrow. Right now, I was tired and felt a lot like wallowing in self-pity by myself in bed. I kind of felt like doing that all the time since gaining this horrible blessing of a curse, but I finally gave in to the voices in my head and succumbed to my exhaustion. God, who knew all this power could be so tiring.</p>
<p>I didn't bother changing out of my dark outfit, and just pulled back my covers and fell asleep in the bed too big for only me.</p>
<p>I immediately heard buzzing from beside me on my nightstand and assumed it was Mary Margaret and her absurdly ineffective optimism on the other line of my phone. I ignored the shrill ringing and pulled the covers over my head to muffle the sound. When that didn't work, I pressed the palms of my hands against my ears. It helped a bit, and did more for my headache than it did to stop the ringing.</p>
<p>I'm not sure when I nodded off, but when I woke up, it was early the next day. I wasn't woken naturally, because someone was insistently knocking on my door. I groaned and ignored Mary Margaret or Regina or Henry or whoever it was who decided they would risk angering the dark one to appease her.</p>
<p>I took my sweet time in getting up and brushing my teeth, but whoever it was still knocked on my door to their heart's content. Classic Mary Margaret. I rolled my eyes and descended the stairs and waited for two more minutes, in case Mary Margaret gave up and left. She didn't.</p>
<p>I huffed and pulled open the door sharply to a smiling and slightly shaky brunette holding a bag of takeout from Granny's.</p>
<p>"Can I come in?" Ruby asked me. I tilted my head in confusion, before shutting the door on her. I wasn't expecting Ruby, but she's better than Mary Margaret. She was faster than me and stuck her boot in the way of the door. "Please? I have food, and I'm not here to ask you questions. I just want to see you."</p>
<p>"Really?" I asked her,"like this? Aa the freaking <em>Dark One</em>? Tell Mary Margaret I'm not talking to her. That this was all her fault."</p>
<p>"Snow didn't ask me to come, I wanted to. And what does she have to do with anything?"</p>
<p>"She never had to give me up. We could still be in the Enchanted Forest, happy and safe from Dark Ones and Neverland and Wicked Witches of The West and whatever else."</p>
<p>"You can't be serious, Emma. She did <em>everything </em>she could. You wouldn't have Henry, you wouldn't be the person you were today if you didn't come here, and is The Wicked Witch really better than a vengeful queen, bucketloads of magic, and an army of ogres?"</p>
<p>"Anything is better than what <em>I </em>went through. Don't you get it? I may not be the same person if I didn't go through that part of my life, but at least I'd be <em>happy </em>there<em>. </em>Don't tell me she gave me my best chance by putting me through the foster system."</p>
<p>"No, but she gave everyone else their best chance, and put all her faith into finding you. She sacrificed the one thing she's ever wanted to save her kingdom. She may have put you through hell, but she lost something too." Ruby slid past me into the house and set down the bag of takeout on the coffee table.</p>
<p>"Leave, Red. I don't want to talk to you."</p>
<p>"Then just listen." I sighed and rolled my eyes ever so slightly, but gestured for her to continue. She took a deep breath and I watched her eyes sweep through the room, finally landing her attentive gaze on me.</p>
<p>"I can help you out of this. I'll do everything I can to get the darkness out of you. It must be hard, sacrificing everything the saviour aspires to be to save your son's adoptive mother, I get it-"</p>
<p>"No you don't," I interrupted."You don't know what it's like to have the darkness shouting your name in all hours, having to listen to them talking and talking, just to keep you awake. You don't know how hard it is to think, or eat, or even do anything, when the darkness is just looming in the shadows, telling you what to do without you realizing it. I can't walk around town without the voices constantly telling me to threaten an old man for his money, or burn a building down for fun, or tear down my own <em>mother, </em>tell her how she failed at trying to be a mom. These voices are controlling me, so you can't tell me you understand. You can try, but I don't think your peanut-sized wolf-brain could comprehend how awful this is." She flinched back and looked like she was on the brink of tears. <em>How could I </em>enjoy <em>this? I've wished Ruby was more than a friend since I </em>came<em> to this God-awful town. </em></p>
<p>"You can insult me all you want, I'm not leaving. Not now, not ever. Okay? You can start by eating a grilled cheese and a bear claw and we can try and solve this." She pulled me over to the couch in the living room and sat down with me, before pulling out a grilled cheese sandwich from the paper bag.</p>
<p>"I don't want your help," I grumbled. "I don't need anyone's help."</p>
<p>"I think you will. How many times has Killian been around?"</p>
<p>"That's not rele-"</p>
<p>"Yes it is. He's your boyfriend or something. If he cared, he'd already be here. I promise I can help you with this. We'll get rid of this darkness." I didn't answer her as I bit into my sandwich. I may be angry, but I'll never stop being hungry.</p>
<p>"So how are we gonna do it then," I asked her dully. She smiled at me benevolently and glanced around the house.</p>
<p>"I'm not sure yet," she said quietly.</p>
<p>"Me neither." She chuckled and exclaimed in surprised. "What?" She didn't answer me and stood up from the couch to dash into the kitchen. She came back with a yellow pad of paper and a pen.</p>
<p>"So we can brainstorm," she said. I nodded and watched as she set the notepad onto the table and sat down again.</p>
<p>"So, how do you get rid of the darkness?"</p>
<p>"Traditionally, the Dark One has to be stabbed with the dagger to be free of the darkness, but that involves, you know, dying." She nodded and wrote down the idea, before crossing it out.</p>
<p>"How did you become the Dark One if Rumplestiltskin isn't dead?"</p>
<p>"Rumplestiltskin's darkness…broke free, I guess. It flew around Storybrooke, so I captured it and became the Dark One."</p>
<p>"So if we could free your darkness, that could work."</p>
<p>"What about the darkness flying around everywhere?"</p>
<p>"Could we give it to someone else? Some<em>thing </em>else? An animal?"</p>
<p>"I don't know. Do we really want a magic-wielding moose teleporting itself around Storybrooke?"</p>
<p>"No, I guess not," she said, laughing to herself. "How about putting the darkness in a portal to the Enchanted Forest?"</p>
<p>"Then someone else could get it, or even an ogre or something."</p>
<p>"How did Rumple's darkness get free in the first place?"</p>
<p>"The apprentice freed it, but he's dead now."</p>
<p>"Well, we've tried finding Merlin, and you won't tell us how that went, so we're stuck there." She looked at me pointedly and widened her eyes, tilted her head, and drew out her bottom lip in an adorable pout.</p>
<p>"Your puppy-dog face won't get you anywhere," I told her coldly. "Ask one more time and I'm not letting you help."</p>
<p>"Okay, so what's next on the list? Who else could use magic to un-tether you to the dagger?"</p>
<p>"I don't think Regina can."</p>
<p>"We can try," she suggested. I glared at her. I swore I thought I saw her shiver.</p>
<p>"No. Absolutely not. Even if she could, she'd get hurt, and I don't need her help anyway."</p>
<p>"Okay, what about Zelena?"</p>
<p>"She can't be trusted."</p>
<p>"Unless you promised her something." I looked at her with my jaw slacked for a moment, before shaking my head and getting up to throw the paper bag and wrappers away in the kitchen. I heard her bouncy footsteps follow me.</p>
<p>"Okay, if not Regina or Zelena, and Rumple isn't the Dark One anymore, what else can we do?"</p>
<p>"I told you, I don't know," I snapped. She stepped back and flinched again. "I'm sorry, it's just-"</p>
<p>"-I know. We will figure this out," she said earnestly. She took both my hands into hers and gave my hands a light squeeze. "I'll always help you." I looked up at her gleaming hazel eyes and smiled.</p>
<p>"Okay." I drew my hands away from hers and led her to the door. "I kind of just want to be alone for a while."</p>
<p>"Okay. If you want company, just text me. I'll be there."</p>
<p>"I know," I told her, before opening the door for her. She flashed me one last smile before I shut the door and sighed. Things were looking more hopeless than ever right now, but if there was a time to give up, this wasn't it.</p>
<p>I texted Ruby again the next day and told her that I was going to the library to find something. She said she'd be there with me, but I didn't want her there.</p>
<p>It was a Saturday, so rather than asking Belle for the key, I busted the locks and burst through the doors like Regina always did. It made me laugh when she did it, but now I see how much fun it is. I dug through shelf after shelf of encyclopedias, history books, and I even checked in the children's section, just in case.</p>
<p>I didn't find anything useful, other than a few hidden spellbooks that I bet either Regina or Rumple hid there for safe keeping. I stomped through the building, double checking every shelf to make sure I didn't miss anything, and I didn't.</p>
<p>Instead, Regina was waiting for me at the entrance of the library, arms crossed and a stern look on her face.</p>
<p>"Unpleasant seeing you here, Madame Mayor," I said.</p>
<p>"What are you doing breaking into a public library," Regina asked. I scoffed.</p>
<p>"Please, it's none of your business." This time, she scoffed.</p>
<p>"It is when I get a call from a very scared dwarf, telling me to 'see what's going on at the library.'" I rolled my eyes and brushed passed her.</p>
<p>"You know, I think I may be able to help you, Regina said to my turned back. I turned around to her and grimaced.</p>
<p>"I don't need your help." I waved my hands and the trusty cloud of white smoke surrounded me. I was back in the house, in the basement. In front of me was Excalibur. Like I told Red, I don't need anyone's help. Even if it meant pushing her away. I could push her away with my eyes closed, heck, I've even done it with Henry.</p>
<p>First thing's first, I need a hero.</p>
<p>Hook has always had a weird sleeping pattern, but I know it vaguely. He never goes to sleep before midnight, and he wakes up early in the morning, because 'a pirate's life never waits, especially in the mornings,' apparently. I waited until two o'clock before teleporting to the Captain's quarters of his ship. He was asleep in a small cot on the side, with his sword clenched in his hands.</p>
<p>I looked around the room and found a candlestick that looked like it could pass for the grip of his sword. I chuckled darkly to myself as I carefully pulled the sword out of his hands and replaced it with the candle stick. I laughed to myself as I left his ship the way I came. A pirate's life may never wait, but <em>by God, </em>being the Dark One is so much more fun. I twirled his sword around my body as I hid it in my closet. Tomorrow, I'll pay a visit to a dear old friend, Mr. Gold. For now, I need to assure Ruby I didn't rob a pirate. It hurt to lie to her, but I needed this. I've waited my entire life for a family, just to be disappointed with them all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Collection of Ash</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ruby was insistent, I'll give her that. Every waking hour, she asked if I was okay, offered to come by the house with free food, and tried spreading her cheery mood on me like spreading cold butter on raw bread; it never worked. A small, quiet piece of my brain said that she was doing it because she cared and I wanted it to mean something more. The large part of my brain, the one housing every Dark One that ever existed, said that she was keeping an eye on me so I didn't wreak havoc, that she was trying to manipulate me. I listened to both sides. Mostly the latter, though.</p>
<p>I felt lazy, like I did most days, but I had things to do today. I needed to mold my hero after Ruby had breakfast with me and convinced herself she was in on the operation. If Henry was here, he would've named it something like 'Operation Beetle' or 'Operation Coyote.' Maybe I didn't mind calling it Operation Beetle. It did have a ring to it, I had to admit.</p>
<p>I offered up the title, 'Operation Coyote' to Red and she liked it, so that would be the name of our fake operation; Operation Beetle would be saved for the real task at hand.</p>
<p>I didn't know why Ruby was being so nice to me. I didn't do anything nice for her, but she's so supportive of me, when the most I've gotten from everyone else were a few sympathetic texts from Hook, many calls I ignored from Regina, David, and Snow, and Henry tried to visit. Ruby seemed to be the only one to force me to comply to her orders. The events in Camelot left her to be the only one for me to trust, even if she's forcing me (or thinks she's forcing me) around. It was endearing, but also annoying when all I wanted was to burn the town down and give everyone who wronged me what they deserved.</p>
<p>It was early in the day when Red let herself into my house and decided that the best way to wake up a grumpy, evil, revengeful being with the most powerful magic in the universe was to bang two pans together up and down the hallway. I took a second to collect myself before I stormed out of the room and threw Red against the wall with my magic, an image I only ever saw in my darkest fantasies.</p>
<p>"Good morning, Red," I said sarcastically.</p>
<p>"Morning, partner," she said enthusiastically, despite being pushed against the wall. I wondered if I should take the pots out of her hands and hit her over the head with it, but I stopped those thoughts, along with the ideas of how to utilize Ruby's being magically restrained against the wall, before they could manifest into something else. I let Ruby off the wall after getting caught up in the varying voices talking to me.</p>
<p>"So what's on the list for today."</p>
<p>"What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"I <em>mean, </em>what are we gonna do to get you out of this scary getup?" I laughed at Ruby's bluntness and led her down the stairs.</p>
<p>"I don't know yet. I don't have the slightest idea what I'm doing."</p>
<p>"So why don't we get Regina and—"</p>
<p>"—No, not Regina. I don't need her help."</p>
<p>"You just admitted to—" I cut Ruby off once more.</p>
<p>"—I don't trust Regina." Ruby tilted her head confusedly, but quickly nodded.</p>
<p>"Okay."</p>
<p>"You need to understand that I don't trust anyone yet. Except for you," I said immediately. Red nodded and wandered into my kitchen., clearly displaying a crimson blush.</p>
<p>"I'll make you pancakes. Granny says I need to stop giving you free food."</p>
<p>"Didn't you pay for it?" I asked.</p>
<p>"No, Granny said if I made it completely by myself that I wouldn't have to pay, but because of me, Granny's been short on ingredients. I can't use the diner kitchen to make you food anymore," Red laughed.</p>
<p>"Why did you do that?" I asked Red seriously. she busied herself by looking for a carton of eggs in my fridge to avoid the question.</p>
<p>"Just because," she said distantly. I smiled devilishly at her back and had to resist using my magic to drag her gorgeous ass to the table I was sat at. I don't know what it was, but these voices in my head were <em>horny </em>or something. I didn't really blame them at the moment, Ruby was on her tippy toes, bending over slightly into the fridge in her red jean shorts.</p>
<p>"Can you do your magic thing and...make me an egg or however it works? I need eggs for the pancakes," Red said. I smirked and conjured an egg from nothing. No wonder Regina destroyed an entire realm; magic was an amusing tool to use.</p>
<p>"Thanks," she murmured, taking the egg from me to put on the counter with the other ingredients. While Ruby pattered around the kitchen, I mentally went over my plans for operation beetle; a hard task to do when hundreds of people whispered to me simultaneously. I think the Dark Ones in my brain deliberately choose the most convenient times to start talking.</p>
<p>"Voices keeping you busy?" Ruby assumed knowingly. I nodded and ran to my room to grab a pad of paper. I made sure to angle it away from Red so she couldn't see as I brainstormed my plan of action. I needed a hero to remove Excalibur from it's stone, and that means I need to wake my fledging hero first. I had time before I would leave, so I thought I could finally do what the 'Saviour Emma' couldn't; Ruby.</p>
<p>Once I had my plan set out, Ruby handed me a plate of pancakes. I licked my lips, but I wasn't hungry for pancakes. Like a sudden light switch, I couldn't get Ruby out of my head once I reminisced on 'Old Emma's' schoolgirl crush. I practically ate Red's body with my eyes before I dug into her pancakes. I moaned, just on the verge of obscene, as I tasted the first bite of Ruby's breakfast. She smiled back at me, a tad nervous and wider than usual, just as the same blush tinted her cheeks a deeper shade of red than before, almost matching Red's shorts. Ruby cleared her throat nervously.</p>
<p>"Is it good?" She asked.</p>
<p>"Amazing," I moaned again, giving her my biggest grin. With my outfit and new appearance, I'm surprised Red didn't run out the door when I smiled even a little bit. She didn't though, which made me all the more grateful for her.</p>
<p>Ruby and I finished our pancakes and she made a move to leave.</p>
<p>"Where are you going?" I asked her as Ruby laid her hand on the doorknob. She turned back around and shoved her hands into the pockets of her shorts.</p>
<p>"I thought you said you were busy today," she replied.</p>
<p>"I'm sure I can move some stuff around," I told her coyly. I stalked closer to her, now just an inch away from her and feeling her hot breath on my face. I smiled at her, tamely this time, before twirling my fingers into her hair and pull her face towards me, closing the small gap between us. She tasted like strawberries and syrup. Ruby was still for a moment, then tentatively moved her lips against mine. I ripped myself from her lips sharply and grinned.</p>
<p>"I've wanted to do that since I came to town and saw your skimpy outfits," I whispered to Ruby, cupping her cheek and stroking her cheekbone with my thumb.</p>
<p>"I've wanted to do that since I met you at the inn and you ran your hand through your hair as you glanced around the room," She said back. Ruby smiled at me and pulled me back to kiss her, more forceful and slightly rough. I skimmed my tongue along Red's lips, asking silently for entrance. She parted her lips just a little bit, giving me an entrance to swirl my tongue around her mouth.</p>
<p>I pulled Ruby to my couch, the nearest soft object, and shoved her down onto it, climbing on top of her as our teeth and tongues clashed together. I swallowed Ruby's slight moans and whimpers while she clawed at my white tank top. The voices in my head stopped to give me a bit of alone time with Red. I grinned against Ruby's lips.</p>
<p>—</p>
<p>The woman I used to be would've been giddy at the thought of kissing Ruby. Now, I felt empty. Not even taking my crush to bed could fill the void in me, no matter how much I wanted it. Ruby understands the circumstances I found myself in. She knew before going into this that I wouldn't be myself. No matter how hard she wished on a star or threw pennies into wishing fountains, I was dark, threatening, not at all what Ruby saw in me before I donned the black clothes and blood-red lipstick.</p>
<p>After Ruby left for her shift at the diner, I immediately took Hook's sword out of the basement in the house to find Gold in his shop. I would go in, but I couldn't get Gold out of there by myself. It was a good thing I had a friend who owed me a favour. For something that never happened, because I stole her heart and made her do stuff.</p>
<p>I was starting to get used to moving everywhere with magic. It was a relief I didn't have to drive now, using my magic was much more convenient, and even more safe.</p>
<p>Gold was on the couch in his back room, asleep and barely breathing, just like before. I drew the sword and laid it over top of Gold, hoping that would do the trick.</p>
<p>Once he was awake, I knew I needed to get out of the shop as fast as I could. When I was back at my house, it was all too easy to send Merida over with a wave of my hands to finish the job for me. I've never had so much power before, I was drunk off of it. I savoured the high as long as I could.</p>
<p> </p>
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